Another The Crucible Essay, Research Paper

In the play "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller,

Miller displays how easily people can be fooled by the

innocence of youth. He also exposes the gullibility of

common people, even people such as Danforth and

Hathorne, who play the role of the "wise" judges. A single

girl, Abigail, causes the downfall of the whole society.

Abigail scares the younger part of the society into

submission. The people who must decide the fate of the rest

of the society, see only her innocence and truthfulness.

Abigail seeks the affection of John Proctor, a farmer who is

respected and feared by most of the townspeople. Proctor

makes a foolish mistake when he has an affair with Abigail.

Later on he regrets having this affair, and he wants Abigail to

forget that it ever happened. Abigail does not want to let him

go, she wants him to decide between his wife, Elizabeth

Proctor or her, Abigail. Abigail is deprived of attention and

she seeks it from the community. Abigail’s parents were

killed when she was younger, and her uncle, Reverend

Parris, does not pay very much attention to her. She

attempts to give people the impression that she is a very

tough person. John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor know

what she is really like and wants to have nothing to do with

her. In Act One she says, "I saw Indians smash my dear

parents’ heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen

some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish

you had never seen the sun go down." From this we get the

impression that she might be a little bit mentally disturbed.

The way that she acts in front of John Proctor reveals that

she is not as sure of herself as she would like us to believe.

Mary Warren decides to confess to the fact that they are all

lying, and that she never saw any spirits. In front Abigail,

however, she breaks down and returns to her side. When

Judge Danforth calls for Abigail to be summoned to court he

is told that she has stolen her uncle’s money and left the

town. Despite this fact Judge Danforth does not think ill of it.

Judge Danforth feels so secure in his position that he will not

accept the fact that he can be wrong. During the trial

Danforth is completely sure that he